College life always seems to feel like a strange, new, alternate dimension for most of us. Everything is just a little different than it used to be; for example, breakfast is often just an abstract concept you hear of but haven’t actually had since high school; heaps of laundry are strategically hidden under your bed; and the budget has been dialed down drastically. With this new life of built from ramen noodles and “freedom” comes a bucket-load of Netflix. Gone are the days where we ventured out to an actual movie theater (because, come on, have you SEEN ticket prices lately??), and here are the days of Netflix bingeing on a laptop screen into the wee hours of the night.
That being said, we all crave that movie night with friends (and I don’t mean the 90’s sitcom). While huddling together around a single laptop screen may not sound glamorous, the good news is that there are ways to make your movie nights a little more exciting. With that in mind, here are some ideas for movies to watch and get a little extra with.
1. WILLY WONKA
Take a page out of the Gilmore Girls’s book and watch Willy Wonka–with immense amounts of junk food. Any and all forms of chocolate are absolutely necessary! (Bonus: chocolate bought after October 31st is pretty cheap, so this is a good time to stock up!)
Take advantage of being a D.C. native! Visit all the D.C. locations where the action in National Treasure takes place before watching the movie, then marvel over them when they show up on screen! Here’s where you can go to get the full National Treasure experience :
i. Jefferson Memorial
ii. Go on a bus tour
iii. The National Mall
iv. The Library of Congress
v. The National Archives
vi. The FBI Building
With a movie about delicious food, how could you not have a delicacy handy? Don’t worry though, if you’re someone who struggles with cooking, there’s a simple and non-hazardous solution–make a cookie log! “What’s that,” you ask? Just get a tube of frozen cookie dough and bake it as is! The result is the ultimate combination of crunchy and gooey–the perfect accompaniment to this movie. Bake your “log” at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 13 minutes and prepare to be in cookie heaven.
4. MYSTIC PIZZA
Enjoy this Julia Roberts classic with a group of your nearest and dearest friends by throwing a pizza party and making your own “mystic” pizzas with your favorite ingredients as you fall in love with the true special ingredient of this movie: friendship.
5. TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE
While you set foot into this world of cheesy yet adorable high school romance, try writing your own letters to your ghosts of crushes past! You could hide them in a box like Laura Jean, burn them or even send them out if you’re feeling adventurous.
So there you have it, 5 fun (and predominately food-centric) ways to up your movie game! A few other useful tips are to switch off the lights and make use of fairy lights instead to set the movie mood, investing in some comfy throw pillows for you and your friends to veg on the floor with and always keeping some popcorn handy!